London

Vera Liber

In no order of preference, a miscellaneous Baker’s Dozen Best of 2024, though The Fear of 13 rightfully tops the list.

Theatre

Dance

Opera

Tamsin Flower

Sandra Giorgetti

The calculator tells me that I've seen an average of 11.6 performances a month this year, so no wonder I am behind with my admin, and my long-suffering husband saved Christmas by organising the tree and everything on and under it.

The year got off to a good start with The Sex Lives Of Puppets and ended on a high with four out of five festive shows standing out as real crackers.

Between those were other highlights. I enjoyed Standing at the Sky’s Edge so much that when the opportunity arose, I saw it again another two times, sitting in different parts of the auditorium enjoying a subtly different experience each time. I could have seen Hello, Dolly countless times, but the budget stopped me at two.

A brief trip to Brighton in May provided two of this year’s top picks, and my hat is off to SE Fest, a new collaboration between Bridge House Theatre and Jack Studio Theatre, supporting new writing, two picks from there too.

Both these theatres showcase the work of local creatives and earlier in the year Bridge House Theatre’s That Girl vs The World had a run at both venues with a story of true events that took place a stone’s throw from my back yard. Productions with worldly themes or bells and whistles may get the most attention, but seeing your own community represented on stage never leaves you untouched.

Lewisham Local History Society organised a backstage tour of Broadway Theatre Catford, a wonderful Deco gem now lovingly refurbished, and I also hugely enjoyed two events at the West End’s Criterion Theatre marking its 150th birthday organised by the Criterion Theatre Trust’s Fiona Callaghan.

It wasn’t all fun and games, and the year had a sprinkling of disappointments and damp squibs and one or two horrors amongst the many shows that were terrific but didn’t make the following list. To all the venues that have hosted me and all the companies that have entertained me in 2024, I say a big thank you—my life is better for having seen your work.

Best of the Fringe

West End top picks

Brighton

  • Berlin/Yves Degryse - The Making of Berlin (Festival)
  • Birthmarked (Fringe)​

SE Fest at The Jack Studio and Bridge House Theatre

Seasonal Triumphs